Sponsored by: Collaborative on Health and the Environment

Presented by: Colleen Reid, PhD., University Colorado, Boulder; Warren Dodd, PhD., University of Waterloo

In the past few decades, wildfire activity has increased in the western United States and Canada, and can be attributed, at least in part, to a changing climate. The air pollution from wildfires has been associated with increased risk of exacerbations of respiratory disease, specifically asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, but also with some cardiovascular health endpoints, and mortality. Dr. Colleen Reid, assistant professor in Geography at the University of Colorado, Boulder, will provide an overview of what is known and not known about the health impacts of exposure to smoke from wildfires.

In the summer of 2014, the Northwest Territories (Canada) experienced a severe wildfire season with prolonged smoke events and poor air quality. Dr. Warren Dodd, Assistant Professor in the School of Public Health and Health Systems at the University of Waterloo, Canada, will discuss his team's qualitative study that explored how this wildfire season affected mental and physical health in addition to livelihoods of residents in four communities. Dr. Dodd will also share the perspectives of interviewees concerning adaptation and policy recommendations for future extended wildfire seasons and smoke events.